There’s something about a steaming bowl of soup in autumn that always hits the spot. As the air turns crisp and cool, I find myself craving comforting, homemade soups. I love Olive Garden’s version of Zuppa Toscana, and although we don’t eat out often, when we do I always choose the soup over salad.
My husband usually takes the salad, leaving me to savor a bowl of the hearty soup. I’m glad I recreated this at-home version — it captures the main qualities of the restaurant classic: a creamy broth, tender potatoes, flavorful Italian sausage, and plenty of hearty kale. My husband hadn’t tried Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana before, but after tasting my version he said, “If it’s anything like this, it must be good.” This recipe makes plenty for a family of four and yields great leftovers for the next day’s lunch.
Zuppa Toscana
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Ingredients
- 1 lb mild Italian sausage
- 1 onion, diced
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 6-7 medium red potatoes, scrubbed, halved & sliced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 ½ cups skim milk
- 2 cups water
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- ¼ tsp dried thyme, (optional if using spicy sausage)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups kale, de-veined and chopped
- Salt & Pepper, to taste
Instructions
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1. In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, brown the Italian sausage, breaking it into small pieces as it cooks. Drain off excess fat and set the sausage aside.
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2. In the same pot, add the diced onion and cook 3–5 minutes until translucent. Add the minced garlic during the last 30–60 seconds of cooking. The small amount of grease left from the sausage should be enough; add a splash of olive oil if needed.
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3. Return the cooked sausage to the pot, then add the potatoes, chicken broth, skim milk, water, red pepper flakes, and dried thyme (if using). Bring to a simmer and cook over medium heat until the potatoes are tender, about 10–15 minutes.
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4. Warm the heavy cream briefly (about 30 seconds in the microwave) and stir it into the soup, then add the chopped kale. Heat just until the kale wilts, 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve topped with freshly grated Parmesan if desired.
Notes
Use mild Italian sausage for a gentler flavor; omit the thyme if your sausage is already seasoned. Leftovers refrigerate well and often taste even better the next day.
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